Blanketfort Audio releases Ruinator distortion plugin with $29 intro offer
Blanketfort Audio has released Ruinator, a dual-engine distortion plugin for macOS and Windows. It’s available in VST3 and AU formats, currently discounted to $29 until October 31st (regular price $49). Ruinator is more than a typical overdrive. Instead, it offers a more creative approach to distortion, blending flexibility with a raw distortion engine capable of [...]
View post: Blanketfort Audio releases Ruinator distortion plugin with $29 intro offer

HEDD Audio reveal Type 05 A-Core Edition X Limited to a production run of just 100 units, the Type 05 A-Core Edition X are hand-made in Germany, and come sporting a stylish new finish. 

Get UJAM’s Virtual Pianist Vogue for only €9.45 at Plugin Boutique (92% OFF)
You can now get UJAM’s Virtual Pianist Vogue for a massive 92% off deal at Plugin Boutique for a limited time. As we edge closer to Black Friday, the discounts continue to get bigger and better, and you can check out this year’s best deals in our Top 100. We still have some time before [...]
View post: Get UJAM’s Virtual Pianist Vogue for only €9.45 at Plugin Boutique (92% OFF)

Welcome to Earth, Whimsical Raps Atrium: This five-voice, gesture-controlled analogue synth looks like it landed from another planetSome instruments demand you play them. Others, like Whimsical Raps’ new Atrium, practically beg you to interact, experiment, and occasionally just marvel at their glowing, alien-spaceship-like control surfaces.
Described as a “new instrument, where playful gestures meet dynamic systems”, Atrium isn’t a synth you sit behind politely – it’s a console you hover over, twist, tap, and probe, with every gesture sparking new sonic possibilities.

READ MORE: Get your hands on a synth used on Kraftwerk’s Autobahn – Florian Schneider gear collection to be auctioned next month

To start, Atrium is a five-voice analogue polytimbral synth built for composers, performers, and sound designers who like their gear a little… otherworldly.
Drawing on a decade of modular experimentation, Whimsical Raps rethinks how polyphony and polytimbrality can be expressed with the Atrium. Each voice is shaped by its own harmonic energy while three core timbre modes offer everything from simple sub-octaves and noise wave, through FM, to a reimagined formant synthesis. The voices are then filtered through a lowpass/gate system, keeping the sound grounded while allowing bursts of character and emphasis to emerge organically.
Credit: Whimsical Raps
There are no digital multi-effects hiding in the back either. Instead, Atrium’s lush character comes from a tactile, hands-on combination of three filters, two delays, and feedback.
Everything is designed to respond intuitively to gestures, and just about every parameter is mappable to every other, encouraging playful experimentation. In addition, gestures can be recorded across five recorders, stretched in time, and dynamically phased across voices.
Connectivity is comprehensive: USB, MIDI, and CV inputs make Atrium extensible, while its spaceship-inspired interface, with glowing touch-sensitive surfaces and ergonomically placed controls, invites exploration while keeping performance immediate.
“This resonant body is meant to be played,” says Whimsical Raps – and it certainly shows.
Priced at $1,600, Atrium launches for pre-order on 31 October. Those in Los Angeles can try the synth in person at official unveiling events on 31 October and 1 November – details are on the Whimsical Raps website.

The post Welcome to Earth, Whimsical Raps Atrium: This five-voice, gesture-controlled analogue synth looks like it landed from another planet appeared first on MusicTech.

Morphor’s ECHON 6 is the world’s first polyphonic analogue synth powered by BBD resonatorsMorphor has launched the ECHON 6, a six-voice analogue polysynth built around Bucket-Brigade Delay (BBD) resonators and capable of “acoustic behaviours far beyond the limits of the physical world”.
Billed as the world’s first polyphonic synthesizer based around BBD resonators, the ECHON 6 brings the principles of modal synthesis into the analogue domain. Each of its six voices features a discrete BBD delay-line resonator that tracks the keyboard, producing organic overtones and complex harmonic depth.

READ MORE: Behringer scales down its UB-Xa synth (again) with the “travel-ready” UB-Xa Mini

Allowing you to excite those resonators in creative ways, ECHON 6 can generate anything from plucked and bowed strings over leads and basses to big pads and evolving soundscapes.
The synth’s Exciter section blends analogue VCO waveforms, external audio, and noise sources – from continuous analogue white to sample-and-hold textures – shaped by a loopable ADSR envelope with onset delay. Each Exciter output is fed into its own BBD resonator, each of which consists of a pitched delay-feedback network with analogue low-pass filters in both input and feedback paths, enabling dynamic control over tone, texture, and decay.
Credit: Morphor
Rooted in Morphor’s modular design philosophy, the ECHON 6 also features a 9×32 modulation matrix that links the envelope, modwheel, LFOs, velocity, aftertouch, and key tracking to nearly any destination. Modulation depth can be assigned instantly by holding a source key and adjusting the target parameter, while dedicated buttons let users mute, invert, or max out modulation for fast, expressive sound design.
With six stereo outputs, full MIDI support, and a rugged aluminium chassis that can sit on a desktop, 19-inch rack, or VESA mount, the ECHON 6 is designed for both studio and stage performance. There are no screens or menus as well – just one-knob-per-function control for total immediacy.
 
The Morphor ECHON 6 is priced at $2999,99 / €2,295 (including VAT) and ships in February 2026, with a limited first batch of 500 units.
Pre-order yours today via Morphor’s website and authorised resellers.
The post Morphor’s ECHON 6 is the world’s first polyphonic analogue synth powered by BBD resonators appeared first on MusicTech.

Warm Audio WA-87jr and WA87jr SE deliver the world-famous ‘87 sound in a streamlined packageWA-87jr $299 / £299
WA-87jr SE $199 / £199
warmaudio.com
When it comes to value for money, Warm Audio’s faithful reproductions of vintage hardware are hard to beat. The WA-87 R2 is a best-seller for the Texas-based company, retailing at $699, a fraction of the cost of the Neumann U 87 it’s inspired by. Now Warm has two new 87-style microphones, priced at an even more wallet-friendly $299 and $199.
The WA-87jr and the more basic WA-87jr SE (Studio Essentials) are streamlined versions of the WA-87, utilising contemporary technology rather than the historically accurate design of the original model. What makes these new mics still 87s at heart though, is the use of the same vintage-correct, gold-sputtered K87-style capsule found in the more expensive model.

READ MORE: United Studio Technologies’ UT Twin48 sounds fabulous on practically everything

The original U 87 first appeared in 1967 to supersede the K87-equipped, valve-powered U 67 and has become arguably the most iconic and recognisable large-diaphragm condenser microphone of all time. If asked to picture a lead vocal mic, most of us will instantly think of an 87. Warm’s new offerings share the essential classic 87 look, albeit on a smaller scale.
Where the new models differ from the full-sized microphone is in the internal electronics used. Conventionally, 87s incorporate a transformer in the output stage, yet the WA-87jr models are modern transformerless designs using discrete components within a surface-mount construction. This type of design is not only less expensive to manufacture, but also lowers the mic’s self-noise for a cleaner sound.
Feature-wise, the WA-87jr mimics the classic design with three available polar patterns, cardioid, omnidirectional and figure-8. It also has the familiar 70 Hz high-pass filter and -10dB pad switches. The Studio Essentials model has a fixed cardioid response and lacks the filter and pad. Cost is also reduced by excluding the shock-mount that comes with the WA-87jr. instead, a simple hard-mount is included for the SE.
WA-87jr. Image: Press
There is also a difference in the K87 design, with the SE version having a single backplate as there are no omni or figure-8 options. However, both mics are said to share the same tonal characteristics in cardioid mode and a 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response. Like classic FET (Field Effect Transistor) designs, both mics’ internal components feature premium transistors and film capacitors from Toshiba and WIMA, respectively, while the WA-87jr also incorporates Panasonic electrolytic capacitors.
Just like the more expensive mics in Warm’s portfolio, the jr mics are solidly built with a durable metal head-basket grille. And the jr’s shock-mount is also a robust piece of kit.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Warm Audio’s founder Bryce Young, who told me how the WA-87jr came into being:
“In 2016 Warm Audio released the WA-47jr alongside its flagship WA-47 tube microphone. The WA-47jr was somewhat of an experiment to see if customers would appreciate a legitimate K47 style capsule in a simplified circuit, the result far exceeded our expectations with tens of thousands sold and many smiling customers.
Now almost 10 years later, Warm Audio releases the WA-87jr to give customers access to the classic K87 style capsule found in the famous 1960s classic. The WA-87jr now allows more people access to this vintage accurate capsule recreation. Utilising the same simplified transformerless circuit design as the WA-47jr, the WA-87jr provides a clean signal path with the unmistakable clarity of a classic capsule, this time of the U 87 style.”
WA-87jr SE. Image: Press
Before getting into the specific character of the WA-87jr models, it’s worth looking at the difference between transformer balanced microphones, like the WA-87 R2 and transformerless designs like the mics on test here.
The first two points are evident with the WA-87jr without even plugging it in. The absence of a transformer makes it a lot less expensive to manufacture, so you can buy two WA-87jr or three jr SEs and still have $100 left in your wallet. Also, the transformerless design can be built into a smaller body. While the larger WA87 R2 certainly looks impressive when set up to record lead vocals in a professional setting, those wishing to use the mic for podcasts might prefer the sleeker, visually less intrusive jr models. It’s also worth noting that some engineers like to use an 87 as a close top-snare mic, like Alan Parsons did when recording Pink Floyd’s seminal The Dark Side Of The Moon album. In this situation or any other when space is limited, a smaller mic can be advantageous.
Other characteristics of transformerless mics, which may be an advantage depending on your requirements, are a cleaner overall sound with crisper transients and the ability to handle higher SPLs. In contrast, as most large diaphragm microphones heard on recordings before, say the 1990s, were transformer balanced, we now think of their coloured, more characterful sound as inherently ‘vintage’.
In a side-by-side comparison with a transformer balanced WA-87 R2, the new transformerless WA-87jrs certainly have a more contemporary sound. That’s not surprising as the R2 is based upon the original 1967 U 87 rather than the models Neumann offers today. What you get with the jr is a brighter, more high-mid-forward balance with exceptional clarity and detail. You don’t get the low-mid warmth or darker upper mids of the R2, or indeed other vintage-style mics, yet the WA-87jr delivers a focused sound with plenty of presence that is well suited to modern pop productions.

While sonic contrasts are noticeable, it’s not in quite the same way you might notice the difference in quality of an expensive microphone in comparison with a budget model – the WA-87jr sounds way more expensive than it actually is.
This is because the jr is built around the same K87-style capsule as the WA-87 R2. And a microphone’s capsule has far more influence on its sound than transformers and other internal components. As such, the jr shares many familial attributes with its larger and more expensive sibling. High frequencies are smooth and extended, with none of the spiky resonances that often plague cheaper mics.
Throughout the review process the WA-87jr acquits itself admirably. For critical recording, such as lead vocals, it performs as well as (or better than) many more expensive mics. It expresses much of the classic 87 character, detail and clarity especially, if not the ultimate warmth of vintage Neumanns or indeed Warm’s WA-87 R2.
For the price, the WA-87jr is superb and would be an excellent choice for anyone requiring one decent mic to record anything and everything. And if you only need a cardioid design and can live without the high-pass, pad and shock-mount, the SE is practically a gift.

Key features

Vintage K87-style gold-sputtered capsule
Transformerless design
Cardioid, omnidirectional and figure-8 polar patterns (Cardioid only for WA-87jr SE)
70 Hz high-pass filter (WA-87jr only)
10 dB pad (WA-87jr only)
Self-noise: 9 dBA
Hard-mount clip
Shock-mount (WA-87jr only)
Storage pouch

The post Warm Audio WA-87jr and WA87jr SE deliver the world-famous ‘87 sound in a streamlined package appeared first on MusicTech.

Setting the Stage for Alt-Rock's Early '90s UprisingAllMusic presents an excerpt of Greg Prato's new book Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History in which Ian MacKaye, Fred Armisen, and Matt Pinfield (among many, many others) recall what the indie music scene was like pre-Nirvana, and the stepping stones that led us to late 1991 – when alt-rock seemingly exploded on a global scale.

RME TotalMix FX 2.0 beta now live The latest version of TotalMix FX has been treated to an all-new, fully scaleable graphics engine that allows users to freely zoom and re-size its Mixer and Matrix views.

D’Addario Unveils John Lennon Art Series Picks & StrapsD’Addario announced on Monday the "John Lennon Art Series Signature Collection, a limited-edition lineup of instrument straps and picks, all honoring the imagination of a legend.""The Collection includes two unique strap designs and two pick assortments, each featuring Lennon’s original animal illustrations, as well as drawings inspired by the life and love he shared with Yoko Ono," they said in a statement. "From playful sketches to bolder, more intimate designs, every item in this Collection honors Lennon’s vision while giving players unique, premium tools they can rely on, all backed by elite D’Addario craftsmanship. The Collection also includes the Imagine Animals small instrument strap, perfect for kid-sized instruments or adult ukuleles and mandolins, with matching collectible picks."

Highlights (direct from D’Addario):

Secure & Reliable Straps. Each strap features durable leather ends for long-lasting security. That means a comfortable and dependable fit for every player.

Premium Picks for Superior Playability. Crafted from high-quality celluloid, these picks deliver a smooth feel and warm tone that’s perfect for players at any level.

Exclusive Collectible Items. These limited-edition designs put Lennon’s visual artwork on a new canvas, making them not only perfect tools for players, but one-of-a-kind stocking stuffers for collectors and fans.

“John Lennon’s art was as imaginative and honest as his music,” said Cassie Meloy, Accessories Product Manager. “This Collection celebrates Lennon’s creativity for players of all ages and introduces D'Addario’s first strap designed for kids, perfectly inspired by his playful Animals artwork.”

Availability & PricingThe John Lennon Art Series is available now through daddario.com and authorized retailers. Pick packs are priced at $7.99, with straps starting at $16.99.For more information, visit: ddar.io/johnlennon-prThe post D’Addario Unveils John Lennon Art Series Picks & Straps first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Glīd is building an autonomous shortcut to move freight from road to rail — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025Damoa pinpointed the problem: the complex, multi-step process moving a container from a ship to a freight train. He founded Glīd Technologies to try and solve it.

The Supercon 2025 Badge is Built to be CustomizedFor anyone who’s joined us for previous years, you’ll know that badge hacking and modification are core to the Hackaday Supercon experience. While you’re of course free to leave the badge completely stock, we encourage attendees to tear it apart, learn how it works, and (hopefully) rebuild it into something unique. There are even prizes for the best hacks.
As such, every decision about the badge’s hardware and software is made with hackability in mind. It’s why we always try to add an expansion port to the badge and, in recent years, have leaned into MicroPython to make it easier for attendees to modify the code.
But one thing that’s been largely missing in previous badges is aesthetic customization. Sure, you could strip out the firmware and write something entirely new, or hang some oddball peripheral off the side of the thing, but ultimately it still looked like the badge we gave you at the door. That’s because, at the end of the day, the badges are just PCBs. Short of designing your own enclosure (which has certainly been done), every badge looks the same. That is, until now.

This year’s badge is unique among Supercon badges because it isn’t just a PCB. It’s actually a stack-up of two PCBs! That might not sound like much of a distinction, but in this case, the front board has no electrical function — its only purpose is to hold the keyboard membrane against the dome switches on the rear PCB. The only reason we made it out of a PCB in the first place is that it was convenient and cheap at the scale we needed. But if those weren’t concerns, it could just as easily have been 3D-printed or cut out with a laser or a CNC router.
While the necessities of running two hacker cons on opposite sides of the planet within a couple of months of each other meant we needed to think at scale, attendees are free to do whatever they want between now and when they get their badges on Friday. Want to carve a front panel out of aluminum on your CNC? Awesome. Perhaps laser-cut some thin plywood and give it a nice stain for that old-school look? We love it. Want to see what that fancy multi-material 3D printer you’ve got is capable of? So do we.
Hailing frequencies open, Captain.
Some Assembly Required
Want to make the 2025 Hackaday Supercon badge your own? Just head over to the “hardware/mechanicals_and_models” directory in the badge’s GitHub repository and you’ll find STEP, DXF, and SVG versions of the front panel. We’re eager to see some wild and wonderful front panels, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

Spacing between the rear and front boards should be approximately 2 mm.
The area around the keyboard should be roughly PCB thickness (~1.7 mm) for optimal typing.
You’ll need to provide hardware (M3 nuts/bolts work well) to attach the front panel to the badge.

If you’ve got other questions or need some assistance, leave a comment below or check in on the #badge-hacking channel in the Hackaday Discord server. See you at Supercon!

OpenAI, valued at $500bn, reportedly working on generative AI music toolThe move would bring OpenAI into an increasingly crowded field of AI music generation platforms
Source

Saint Mike DSP ColoraVerbColoraVerb is a creative algorithmic reverb that lets you shape space through color. Its four color blocks: Decay, Diffusion, Tone, and Room, each control a group of linked parameters, turning complex reverb design into simple, musical gestures. With lush spatial depth and nearly endless combinations, ColoraVerb inspires new textures and adds a touch of mystique to any mix. Read More

Barefoot launch Gen2 Footprint 01 & 02 Barefoot's Footprint 01 and 02 have recently been treated to an overhaul that introduces new driver designs and promises to deliver some significant performance improvements. 

Watch Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter perform first DJ set in 16 years – alongside Fred Again..Last month, Fred Again.. shocked fans when he announced he’d be teasing the rollout of UBS002 with a series of 10 shows in 10 different cities across 10 weeks. He’s ticked off Glasgow, Brussels, Madrid, and most recently Paris – and the show featured a surprise appearance from Parisian electro royalty, Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter.
The performance at Paris’s Centre Pompidou came as Bangalter’s first return to the DJ decks in quite some time. Throughout, he spun a slew of Daft Punk classics, including Digital Love and Rollin’ & Scratchin’, as well as cuts from The Chemical Brothers and even the theme of One Battle After Another, the 2025 blockbuster soundtracked by Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood.

READ MORE: How we remixed The Cure: Tips from Orbital, Trentemøller and more

Prior to the set, Bangalter’s last live appearance was at the 2017 Grammy Awards alongside his Daft Punk partner, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. The pair had performed alongside The Weeknd.

Fred Again..’s impromptu stop in Paris also saw saw Phantasy Sound label’s Erol Alkan and Ed Banger Records founder Pedro Winter performing their own B2B DJ sets throughout the night.
As well as aiding the rollout of UBS002, the evening also doubled as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of French record label, Because Music. Billed by the venue as part of the ‘Because Beaubourg’ birthday festivities, Bangalter’s guest appearance also helped add an extra flare of excitement to the festivities… but it was also his way of honouring Paris’ Centre Pompidou before it closes for a 5-year renovation project.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fred again.. (@fredagainagainagainagainagain)

As Fred explains in an Instagram post, Bangalter’s appearance was his way of honouring the Parisian venue before it closed for its 5-year renovation process. “Thomas told me in the lift on the way down to the show that the first time he fell in love with electronic music was in this building in 1992,” Fred writes.
“He also told me hasn’t played a proper set without the mask on for 24 years,” the DJ continues. “I didn’t know what to say to either of those things, and I still don’t. All I said to him at the end is that I hope it isn’t 24 years ‘til the next.”

We’re sure Bangalter appreciated the chance to show his own face for a change. The last evidence of him on the decks without his robotic headgear on was way back in 2009, and it looks like one hell of a set.
There’s no saying what the rest of Fred’s 10 weeks of touring has in store. He’s also been releasing fresh cuts from USB002 to tease fans, with collaborations with Caribou and Floating Points already giving a taste of his upcoming record.

“10 weeks!” Fred shared in his original Instagram post announcing the tour. “A new song every Friday and a show every Friday (in 10 different cities!).”
“We’ve spent the last year or so planning how we want these shows to sound and look and feel,” he continued. “here is an absolutely ridiculous line-up of people joining us in different places… it’s genuinely like 10 of my dream raves in every way. We’ve never done anything like this before… let’s have a magical time together.”
Back in March, Fred was also spotted in the studio with Justin Bieber… so the DJ has potentially got some pretty exciting features down the line.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fred again.. (@fredagainagainagainagainagain)

The post Watch Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter perform first DJ set in 16 years – alongside Fred Again.. appeared first on MusicTech.